Chapter 12 - Richard’s Final Bargain
Penelope almost laughed.
“My daughter?”
“I don't have children.”
Isabella looked at the red file.
“Not yet.”
Adrian's expression became dangerous.
“What exactly is this?”
Footsteps descended.
No time.
Isabella pushed them through a secondary exit leading into an alley behind the house.
Marco's SUV screeched around the corner.
“Get in!”
They ran.
Gunshots struck brick.
Adrian pulled Penelope into the vehicle.
Isabella followed.
Marco accelerated.
Penelope held the red folder.
“What is the Succession Project?”
Isabella answered while catching her breath.
“Your grandfather feared the Hayes archive would eventually become too dangerous for one person.”
“So?”
“He wrote a succession mechanism.”
“Based on my hypothetical child?”
“Yes.”
“That's insane.”
“Agreed.”
Penelope looked at Adrian.
He looked equally disturbed.
Isabella continued.
“Control of the archive eventually transfers to Catherine's bloodline.”
“So Luca wants me to have a child?”
“Not exactly.”
“Please tell me this isn't becoming stranger.”
“It is.”
Penelope closed her eyes.
“Continue.”
“The trustee can designate a future successor before birth.”
Adrian frowned.
“And Luca?”
“Created forged designation papers.”
“For whom?”
Isabella hesitated.
“His son.”
Penelope opened her eyes.
“Luca has a son?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Isabella looked away.
Penelope instantly knew the answer would be terrible.
“Who?”
“Richard Holloway.”
Silence.
Penelope stared.
“No.”
“Arthur raised him. Luca fathered him.”
Adrian cursed.
Penelope thought of Richard.
His father's cruelty.
His obsession with proving himself.
His connection to Luca.
Everything shifted.
“Does Richard know?”
“No.”
“Arthur?”
“Yes.”
“So Thomas kidnapped Lily—”
“Because Lily isn't Richard's biological sister,” Isabella said.
“She's Arthur's daughter.”
Adrian understood.
“Luca doesn't care about her.”
“No.”
Penelope's stomach turned.
Richard had risked everything for Lily while the men manipulating him viewed family as paperwork.
Her phone vibrated.
Richard.
She answered.
“Where are you?”
“At Aurelia.”
“Why?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Not safe.”
“I know who my father is.”
Penelope went still.
“How?”
“Arthur told me.”
Isabella closed her eyes.
Richard continued.
“Luca contacted me.”
“What does he want?”
“You.”
“Everybody does. Be specific.”
Despite everything, Richard laughed weakly.
“He wants me to sign something.”
“The succession designation.”
Silence.
“You know.”
“Yes.”
“He says if I sign, he'll leave Lily alone forever.”
“Don't.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
Penelope softened.
“Good.”
“But Arthur says there's another option.”
“What?”
Richard's voice became quiet.
“I can renounce every claim.”
Penelope looked at Isabella.
She nodded.
“That would sever Luca's route.”
Penelope spoke.
“Do it.”
“There's a condition.”
Of course.
“What?”
“The renunciation has to be witnessed by the current Hayes authority.”
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Aurelia.”
“Why?”
“Because Luca chose it.”
Penelope looked at Adrian.
Trap.
Obviously.
Richard continued.
“I know what you're thinking.”
“Then say it.”
“It's a trap.”
“Good.”
“But if I don't do it tonight, Luca files the forged designation.”
“Can he?”
Isabella whispered, “Possibly.”
Penelope asked Richard, “Is Lily with you?”
“Yes.”
“Stay there.”
She ended the call.
Adrian immediately said, “No.”
Penelope laughed.
“You need new vocabulary.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
“Luca chose Aurelia because he knows you care about it.”
“And because he wants the circle complete.”
“What?”
“The humiliation started there.”
Adrian's expression changed.
Penelope continued.
“Richard's first role was to make me feel powerless.”
She looked at the ring.
“Luca's whole system depends on people believing power belongs to whoever controls the room.”
“And you're going to prove otherwise.”
“Yes.”
They returned to Chicago.
Aurelia was closed.
Richard and Lily waited inside.
Richard looked wrecked.
He saw Isabella.
“Who is she?”
Penelope answered.
“Your grandmother.”
Richard laughed.
Then realized no one else was laughing.
“No.”
Isabella looked at him.
“You have Luca's eyes.”
Richard sat down.
“Oh, God.”
Lily held his hand.
He looked at her.
“You're still my sister.”
She started crying.
“Yes.”
Richard hugged her.
Penelope looked away, giving them privacy.
Whatever else Richard had done, his love for Lily was real.
Attorney Rebecca Sloan arrived with the renunciation papers.
Independent.
Trusted by Catherine.
Penelope signed as witness.
Richard signed.
Rebecca notarized it.
Simple.
Legal.
Done.
Nothing happened.
Penelope almost smiled.
“Maybe Luca finally ran out of dramatic entrances.”
The lights dimmed.
Adrian sighed.
“You had to say it.”
A slow clap echoed from the balcony.
Luca stepped forward.
Alone.
Or appearing alone.
Richard stood.
“You're my father.”
Luca smiled.
“Biology is overrated.”
Richard's face hardened.
“You used me.”
“I prepared you.”
“For what?”
“To inherit.”
“I don't want it.”
Luca's smile vanished.
“Everyone wants power.”
Penelope stepped forward.
“No. You do.”
Luca looked at her.
“You ruined him.”
“Richard came ruined.”
Richard almost protested.
Penelope glanced at him.
“Sorry.”
“Fair.”
Even Adrian smiled.
Luca's face tightened.
He pulled a detonator from his pocket.
Nobody smiled now.
“Archive access.”
Penelope shook her head.
“Never.”
Luca raised the detonator.
“This building has enough explosives beneath it to erase your sentimental little restaurant.”
Adrian moved slightly.
Luca noticed.
“And anyone inside.”
Penelope looked around.
Staff had been evacuated.
Only their small group remained.
“Then you die too.”
“I have an exit.”
“Of course.”
Richard stepped forward.
“Dad.”
The word stopped Luca.
Richard's face showed disgust saying it.
“You wanted an heir?”
Luca looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Then take me.”
Penelope turned.
“Richard.”
He looked at her.
For once, there was no self-pity.
No manipulation.
“You've saved me enough.”
Luca smiled.
“Come here.”
Richard walked toward the balcony stairs.
Lily cried.
“Richard, no.”
He looked back.
“I love you.”
Then to Penelope.
“I'm sorry.”
Penelope understood suddenly.
He wasn't bargaining for power.
He was buying time.
Adrian understood too.
Marco quietly moved toward the control room.
Richard reached Luca.
Luca grabbed his shoulder.
“Finally making one good decision.”
Richard smiled strangely.
“You really don't know me.”
He slammed Luca against the railing.
The detonator flew.
Penelope ran.
Adrian moved.
Lily screamed.
The detonator hit the floor.
A shoe came down on it.
Click.
Everyone froze.
Nothing.
Marco's voice came through the speakers.
“Detonation receiver disconnected.”
Adrian exhaled.
“Good man.”
Richard and Luca fought.
Luca pulled a knife.
Richard blocked.
Penelope grabbed the nearest object—a heavy champagne bottle—and threw it.
It struck Luca's shoulder.
He turned.
Adrian reached him.
One punch.
Luca went down.
Police stormed the building seconds later.
This time Luca did not escape.
Richard sat against the balcony wall, bleeding from his eyebrow.
Penelope approached.
“You threw yourself at a psychopath.”
He laughed.
“I learned from you.”
“Terrible habit.”
He looked at the ring.
“Still wearing it.”
“Yes.”
“Does he know?”
“Know what?”
Richard smiled faintly.
“That you're in love with him.”
Penelope froze.
Adrian stood twenty feet away speaking to police.
She looked at him.
Richard laughed.
“Apparently I'm still good at reading you.”
“Don't get arrogant.”
“Wouldn't dream of it.”
Penelope turned back.
“Thank you.”
Richard's smile faded.
“For what?”
“Lily.”
He nodded.
“She's my family.”
“Exactly.”
Police escorted Luca away.
As he passed Penelope, he smiled.
“You think this ends with me?”
She stared.
“It ends with you in prison.”
“You still don't understand the archive.”
“I'm tired of hearing that.”
Luca leaned closer before officers pulled him away.
“There is one person your mother protected more carefully than you.”
Penelope's skin chilled.
“Who?”
Luca smiled.
“The woman Adrian will kill to protect.”
Penelope looked at Isabella.
Luca laughed.
“Not his mother.”
Then he was gone.
Adrian approached.
“What did he say?”
Penelope told him.
His expression changed.
“There aren't many women I'd kill to protect.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Comforting.”
“You know what I mean.”
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A female voice whispered:
“Penelope Hayes?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Elena Moretti.”
Adrian went completely still.
Penelope looked at him.
He whispered:
“My sister died when she was twelve.”
The woman on the phone began crying.
Then said:
May you like
“No, Adrian.”
“I didn't.”
